Allan Hoe was a proud of both of his sons. Allan had served as a combat medic in the deadly jungles of Vietnam, so when his boys signed up to fight for their nation, he knew he had taught them both the dangers of what they were getting into.
Both of his sons were aware that they could die while serving their country, yet they signed up anyways; because he had raised two warriors.
So when Allan was told that his eldest son, 1st Lt. Nainoa K. Hoe, was killed in action in Iraq, he remained proud of him, but was utterly devastated at the news.
After he grieved, Allan finally found the strength to visit Washington, D.C. for a special Memorial Day ceremony. He decided to stick around for a bit afterward and present traditional Hawaiian leis to anyone he saw in uniform as a form of camaraderie, friendship, and gratefulness.
On his lapel, he wore a pin with his son's face and the words "My Hero" on it. As he walked up to an Army nurse just back from Iraq, Paula Couglin, he presented her with a lei.
As she bent over to accept his gift, she looked at the pin he wore. "I know him," she said in utter surprise.
"How do you know him? He was my son," Allan replied.
"I was the trauma nurse at the crash unit where he died… I will never forget that face," she said through tears.
They continued to talk, and the story that Allan tells in the video below is well worth watching.
Please SHARE this touching story if you're thankful for the veterans of all our nation's wars!
Today, our #AnimatedShort THE LAST VIEWING will be screening at the San Diego Film Festival.Allan Hoe was a combat medic in the Vietnam War. Continuing that legacy of service, both his sons joined the military. In January 2005, Allen's oldest son, 1st Lt. Nainoa K. Hoe, was killed in action in Iraq. Later that year, Allen visited Washington for Memorial Day ceremonies. There he met Paula Couglin, an army nurse just back from Iraq. Watch:
Posted by StoryCorps on Sunday, November 8, 2015
